Helpful Hints: IV Processing (2024)

• See Also

  NVC Contact InformationNVC ProcessingEverything You Need To Know About Forms DS-260 and DS-261NVC wait times

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• Other Visa Categories

• U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country

What is the status of my immigrant visa case?

• If your petition was approved by USCIS: please visit https://nvc.state.gov/timeframes for information regarding current processing dates for NVC case creation and case review. Note: USCIS still mails some paper petitions to NVC, which can take 2-3 weeks to receive.

• If you received a Welcome Letter from NVC: please visit the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC), https://ceac.state.gov/iv, to check the status of cases processing electronically as well as documents needed. You will need your NVC Case number and invoice ID number from your welcome letter. NVC sends important information to case parties through the CEAC message center.

• If you received notification that your case is documentarily complete: NVC will work with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate to schedule your interview appointment and will send you, your petitioner and your agent/attorney (if applicable) an email noting the appointment date and time. However, NVC cannot predict when your case will be scheduled for an interview. The U.S. Embassy or Consulate General tells NVC what dates they are holding interviews, and NVC fills these appointments in a first-in, first-out manner. (Note: for applicants in a numerically limited (preference) visa category to receive an appointment, their priority date must be current. You can track the priority date using the Visa Bulletin at https://usvisas.state.gov/visabulletin. NVC cannot predict when a visa will be available.

• If your case has been sent to the assigned U.S Embassy or Consulate: any case updates or questions should be directed there. The latest updates for U.S. Embassies and Consulates, including operating status of the Consular Section, can be found at https://usembassy.gov.

• Please visithttps://nvc.state.gov/ivfaqs for additional information on immigrant visas.

When will my immigrant visa interview be scheduled?

• If NVC determines you have paid the necessary fees, submitted the required immigrant visa application and supporting documents to NVC, you will receive an email that your case is documentarily complete and NVC will work with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate to schedule an interview appointment for you.

• NVC cannot predict when your case will be scheduled for an interview. The U.S. Embassy or Consulate General tells NVC what dates they are holding interviews, and NVC fills these appointments in a first-in, first-out manner. Please keep in mind -- applicants in a numerically limited (preference) visa category can receive an appointment, but their priority date must also be current. You can track your priority date using the Visa Bulletin at https://usvisas.state.gov/visabulletin.

When will NVC respond to my inquiry submitted online?

• Please visit https://nvc.state.gov/timeframes for information regarding public inquiry form response times.

I would like to contact NVC to keep my immigrant case active.

• To keep your case active, do not let more than one year pass without contacting NVC. To do so, you can submit fees and/or documents through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC), https://ceac.state.gov/iv. Each time you access your case in CEAC, your contact date will be updated. If one year passes from the last date of contact with NVC, all submitted fees, forms and documents will expire, and your case will begin the pre-termination process.

• You do not need to contact NVC to keep your case active if you have received notification your case is documentarily complete.

I get an error when using CEAC.

• Please visit https://nvc.state.gov/troubleshooting, which provides information on known systems errors currently impacting NVC applicants. Also please see https://nvc.state.gov/ceacfaqs. If your error is not referenced, please be sure to include screen shots of the error when submitting a written inquiry at https://nvc.state.gov/inquiry.

I have a question regarding documents for my case or uploading documents to CEAC.

• Affidavit of Support: The National Visa Center cannot advise which Affidavit of Support Form to complete. Please visit https://nvc.state.gov/aos to review the options available to you.

• Civil documents: please visit https://nvc.state.gov/find for information about civil document requirements for immigrant visa cases.

• Financial documents: please use the Financial Evidence Assistant found at https://nvc.state.gov/fin to learn which financial documents need to be submitted.

• Scanning documents into CEAC: please visit https://nvc.state.gov/scan for information on compressing files and scanning documents into CEAC.

• Please visit https://nvc.state.gov/ceacfaqs for additional CEAC support.

I would like to expedite my case due to a medical emergency.

• If a visa is available for your relative’s category, and their case involves a life-or-death medical emergency, processing of your case may be expedited. (If a visa is not available, unfortunately there is nothing that NVC can do to expedite the case. Immigrant visa processing is governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended, which controls availability of visas. There is no provision within the law that would allow the Department of State to issue a visa to someone for whom a visa is unavailable.)

• To request an expedite, please submit a scanned letter (or statement) to NVCExpedite@state.gov from a physician (or medical facility). The letter must include the physician’s (or medical facility’s) contact information and declare a life-or-death medical emergency exists.

Please make sure to include only your case or receipt number on the subject line. In the body of the email please include at least one of the following: Petitioner’s name and date of birth, Beneficiary’s name and date of birth, Invoice ID number

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